Cars – trak-lifehttp://www.trak-life.com
Cars | Lifestyle | The Garage | ShopTue, 04 Dec 2018 04:00:02 +0000en-AUhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9http://www.trak-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/trak-life_circle_375x375px-150x150.pngCars – trak-lifehttp://www.trak-life.com
3232Intima Type-D v2.0 Brake Pad Reviewhttp://www.trak-life.com/intima-type-d-v2-0-brake-pad-review/
http://www.trak-life.com/intima-type-d-v2-0-brake-pad-review/#respondSat, 12 May 2018 05:53:27 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=6329Here at trak-life, it’s no secret we’re fans and advocates of the Intima brand. Having used their brake pad range for over 5 years predominantly for track purposes, all three compounds offer amazing performance for the price. The Type-D is their track focused compound and are the sole pad used in Pearl (the S15) and …

]]>Here at trak-life, it’s no secret we’re fans and advocates of the Intima brand. Having used their brake pad range for over 5 years predominantly for track purposes, all three compounds offer amazing performance for the price.

The Type-D is their track focused compound and are the sole pad used in Pearl (the S15) and more recently in the EP3 with good success allowing me smash out constant PB’s.
When I heard there was an all new Type-D v2.0 coming for 2018, I was excited to see and experience what the the differences were.

Lucky for us (or me really), I got my hands on the Type-D v2.0 prior to its official release on the 16th May 2018 just in time for race season!

After 4 trackdays, 3 of which were back to back weekends in the EP3 in April (trackschool, Honda Nationals & NSCC) I’m happy to report the new Type-D v2.0 is a significant bump up from its predecessor.

Absent from the previous 250 – 850 degree Type-D and the biggest notable difference on this new version is the initial bite. As the effective working temperature range is now 0 – 850 degrees, stopping power straight off the mark is present and strong making it very street capable.
Where it really matters though is the track and having a decent response and friction level on light pedal pressure speaks volumes with confidence compared to the v1.0. Whilst very progressive and not whiplash inducing like the Hawk DTC series or the mainstream Project Mu RC09 pads, it is quite controllable and responds well to pedal input.
Once you get past the initial bite and onto the mid stop there seems to be a reasonable bump in overall stopping power (friction coefficient or mu to be proper) too which pulls up the car pretty hard.
Getting used to the extra coefficient was bit of a learning curve too as I was washing off too much speed by spending longer time on the brake unnecessarily!

The familiar anti-fade properties of the predecessor compound are still present allowing me to dish out 3-5 hot laps in a row with minimal fade and rotor wear. I mention the latter as I did notice with the original Type-D on the EP3 there was some rotor scoring as the temperatures reached high levels. Happy to report very minimal scoring and pad deposit with the new v2.0 which is fairly standard for metallic based track pads.

After three big trackdays at Wakefield going maximum attack with the EP3 smashing out constant 1:09 laptimes hovering close to my PB, the v2.0 is just about out of life.
Considering my ultra late braking technique and the SR compound lasting me 1.5-2 trackdays, completing 3 complete trackdays on the higher performing v2.0 compound is pretty good – Intima’s claim to higher heat resistance and durability is confirmed.
You might be thinking 3 trackdays may not seem like a lot, but as other EP3/DC5/FN2 Type R owners can attest, the tiny pad and rotor combo found on our stock brake setup does’t really provide longevity.

Whilst I would have loved to test the Type-D v2.0 on the S15 much more than just the 1 trackday, my sentiments are the same – better initial bite, stronger overall stopping power and minimal fade. I look forward to giving getting the S15 back to its best and pushing the 1:06 barrier again with this higher performing compound.

In conclusion, what’s there not to love about Intima’s new Type-D v2.0 pad?
Improvements across the board especially with the initial bite and longevity makes a previously good pad great. Surprisingly still very affordable too with most applications being $239 or $259, I don’t think you could find a better track pad that still behaves like a street pad when required within that price range – outperforms and is better value than Project Mu HC800, Endless MX72, Dixcel Type Z, Winmax 6/6.5 and Ferodo DS2500’s.
Sure there are better race pads out there in the $350+ bracket which are a completely different level (race spec) but for my club track day type events which this compound is targeted at, the Type-D v2.0 does a bang up job and is still my default choice.

P.S These also don’t have any noise after a good track bed in, winning!

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/intima-type-d-v2-0-brake-pad-review/feed/0Passenger in the fast lanehttp://www.trak-life.com/passenger-fast-lane/
http://www.trak-life.com/passenger-fast-lane/#respondTue, 12 Sep 2017 07:58:49 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=6257I hate it when things break or don’t work, and I hate it even more when it happens on a regular basis. There hasn’t been much to update on trak180 because for the past few months it has sat dormant after a small fire at the last track day put a halt to its progress. …

]]>I hate it when things break or don’t work, and I hate it even more when it happens on a regular basis. There hasn’t been much to update on trak180 because for the past few months it has sat dormant after a small fire at the last track day put a halt to its progress. For the past 18 months I have embarked on a journey that has made me a little worse for wear mentally and financially. The common occurrence of half day retirements at track days has tested my love for racing and raised the question of its value given how much I had spent to date.

Shit happens they say, but for it to happen so often and give me little seat time has put a huge dent on my enjoyment at track days. The small successes often came in the form of helping others with their setup and driving abilities. I don’t claim to be a good driver or know a lot about cars in general, but what I do love is being able to find a rhythm out on track that stimulates a desire to keep pushing harder. Call it adrenaline or whatever but I believe it’s the sole reason why car enthusiasts who go racing continue to come back to find that “fix”.

The love of speed was a key factor in selecting the array of parts that I did for my upgrades on trak180. I wanted a modern list of parts that would breathe new life into the tired shell and push me closer to the goals that I have set. In all that madness that was chasing power and faster lap times it derailed my love for just driving for driving sake. With Johnny’s fridge out for a new motor rebuild and trak180 shitting itself every track day I shifted my attention to the other stable cars that were still up and running. The scary engine fire that occurred during the last track day was a blessing in disguise as it allowed me take a proper break from my own car and become a passenger in other’s people cars.

A Speed Off The Streets track day attended by the trak life crew on June the 6th saw me as a pit crew member to support the 3 cars that attended; my brother’s S15, Phil’s EP3 and Johnny’s MPS 3. Now while these cars don’t get much of a spotlight at trak life, they still share the same devotion from their owners in fine tuning and making the setups better. Setting up these cars further was the main focus for the day and we didn’t come into it with much expectations other than to enjoy a day out without having to do any running around of our own.

With the pressure of not having to deal with the politics of track day organisation and piloting a fleet of high powered Nissans, we felt that if all 3 cars survived the day unscathed it was a win we would happily take. Little did we know that the cake we were baking on the day was topped off with some icing in the form of 3 PBs.
For the first time in a long time, I felt relaxed and enjoyed my time watching the action on the pit wall. I did pay for a spot to drive the trio fleet, however felt it wasn’t necessary as the momentum that the 3 drivers built throughout the day shouldn’t have been disturbed. One after another each driver pulled in with big grins suggesting a trouble free session with a positive outcome. Content with their respective PBs a long lunch ensued to boost up energy levels for the afternoon sessions.

Here i was offered the key’s to Phil’s EP3 because he felt he had exploited as much as he could from the setup. Having piloted this “black sheep” at previous track days i knew the specs on paper was going to be different to what it was like on the track. You see as much as we are Pro Nissan and Pro Boost, having a balanced chassis that works can often propel the experience behind the wheel to greater heights than say an all out powerful car. This is exactly what happened when I took it out for those 10 minutes as lap after lap I found the confidence to push harder. The amazing thing about Honda is that from the factory the engineers did such a good job that whatever power the motor made, given the right supporting mods she felt just as quick as any other car out there. Shaming most of the field as the VTEC orchestra sung its high pitched tune, the lap times dropped considerably. The final lap netted a 1:09.014, which compared to the trak180 or pearl isn’t as fast, but for how simple Phil’s EP3 was it revealed how fast this pocket rocket could lap Wakefield.

Taking out the new unofficial lap record for a Honda Civic Type R (EP3) around Wakefield was something at the back of our minds throughout the day, but to dive that deep with a chassis that had the least amount of money poured into it was even sweeter. Phil managed to reset his PB again in the final sessions with more aggression to his driving to find those extra tenths. Completing 6 sessions on the day, the EP3 left it’s occupants feeling drained from exhaustion due to the demands of driving a front wheel drive in anger.

Du’s S15 has been quiet achiever behind the scene and was given the same treatment as the trak180 with a plethora of new parts installed over the past year. One thing that remained a constant annoyance was its lack of speed through the corners, which was the result of old camber worn street tyres. The notion of slowly easing into the track scene was important as the car had been his pride and joy and only saw street driving on the weekends.
The lack of a diff and with the full weight of the car meant that the car was never intended to churn out ridiculous times, more so a platform to enjoy a well sorted rear wheel drive turbo both on the street and track. Given the fact that the car was nearly totalled at a previous track day due to no grip from the tyres, a new set of Yokohama AD08R were fitted to finally exploit its potential. Having stopped the clock in the 1:13 prior, the aim was to dial in the car’s suspension to work with the new tyres. Off the bat the car recorded a 1:11 in its first session with the tyres offering a leap forward in lateral grip thus giving the driver the confidence to push harder. With a quick tyre pressure check and the track warming up for the next session the boost was turned up for the optimal conditions. What followed during that next session was an all out battle with Phil’s EP3R as both car’s made its way past the busy traffic to find a few laps of pure driving bliss. Returning into the pits, both drivers were ecstatic with what they had experienced and the near identical times of mid 1:09 reflected that aggression out on track.

Johnny’s Mazda MP3 3 had in recent times seen an absence from the track due to personal reasons and with the recent spate of track day he decided to rekindle the love by fixing the minor issues with the car to drive it in anger once again. Sporting 200kw at the front wheels due to a tune and the switch to semi slicks at the front treads, we were chartering into unknown waters as to what the car would do on the day. Having driven it prior to the day, I had an idea on how to manage the crazy torque steer and offered some tips to help the driver settle into a rhythm that would keep him on track.
Unlike the other two car’s, Johnny’s frustration was evident as the brutal torque steer veered him off track and the tyres inability to come up to temp in those colder condition meant the car was unpredictable in the way it performed. Taking a step back from the right pedal, Johnny set up his sessions with precise swerving to get those semi slicks to turn soft and in return posted identical times to the street tyres he had on during the previous track days. Not content with the times, the mood was disheartening for the rest of the crew as the public track event didn’t allow for passengers, so we couldn’t witness what was happening in the car to offer any further advice. The consensus was that it had far greater grip up front and stringing a lap together was harder with the traffic and short sessions. So with only 2 sessions left it was do or die and with the clear instruction to let go of whatever fear he had and rely on the new found grip, Johnny stayed out every lap pushing harder and harder. Arriving back at the garage after the final sessions a defeated and tired looking owner smiled and revealed that he has went 2 seconds faster. Fist pumping in the air and feeling of elation we were happy to have the last car join the party.

To come away from a day where there were zero issues was a desperate change that I needed to witness in order to see the bigger picture in moving forward with my own struggles. Sometimes the smaller wins in life as just as important as those bigger dreams that we all chase. With renewed enthusiasms I know eventually things will turn around and I too will have those days of reliability again, but being passenger in the fast lane after a long time of trying to pilot it was the medicine that I needed. There are exciting things to expect from Trak180 and the rest of the traklife stable cars, so I’m happy to bring away positives from a saga of negative outcomes.

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/passenger-fast-lane/feed/0Five Years Ago I Brought Home a Fridgehttp://www.trak-life.com/five-years-ago-i-brought-home-a-fridge/
http://www.trak-life.com/five-years-ago-i-brought-home-a-fridge/#commentsSat, 12 Aug 2017 08:54:17 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=6204Funnily enough when I look back at my yesteryears, so much has changed since the initial purchase of ‘The Fridge’, ‘Le Siet Bok’, ‘The Floating Barge’ or whatever – you name it! I had every intention of it being a budget track car, that really didn’t go to plan did it? In fact it went …

]]>Funnily enough when I look back at my yesteryears, so much has changed since the initial purchase of ‘The Fridge’, ‘Le Siet Bok’, ‘The Floating Barge’ or whatever – you name it! I had every intention of it being a budget track car, that really didn’t go to plan did it? In fact it went about three times over budget!

Never had I anticipated the car being in the state it is now – well not the current broken state but the one it will be in soon as I try to get it ready for a track day. So you may have read my other article where I was on the fence with the car tossing up whether to launch it all and start afresh or trying again for the 4th time to get it where I really want it (and perhaps sneak in a few extra kWs I really need).

With enough self convincing and scrapping of the piggy bank I somewhat managed to buy a few things in order to “get it back on the road”. Needless to say, things never seem to go to plan with my life in general, so $7K+ later in parts I still don’t have a working car which hasn’t moved by its own power since that day I decided to remove the turbo. I was at wits end deciding whether to scrap the lot and putting my energy towards buying another car (which would need some modifications to suit my personal taste) OR just fixing what I already had and getting it to a point where I had always envisaged it was tough.

Ultimately, the latter was chosen with the help of Phil & Minh’s encouragement and needless to say my goal posts always seem to move with age. Initially starting from a 250kW street car now to a 400kW+ street/track car with AC, ABS, Airbags, Audio and a stock appearance.

So the journey continues and I may have gotten a little carried away with the whole thing – but as Phil once said you’re only young without kids once so better do it right and throw in some icing sugar!

Now to the mods!

What have I decided to do, albeit may have not been the wisest decision:

Now all I need to do is just slap the lot together, get the motor run in and head back to the dyno to see what this ‘Le Siet Bok’ combination will make! I’m not expecting a full blown drag car but something usable and something that will rev out. From the list above, I do anticipate the gearbox exploding (or imploding) – but that’s another article on it’s own!

To end this off, here is an array of photos through the 8+ month journey – there were times I wanted to call it quits but there were times I just wanted it done. I’ve made it this far, there’s no turning back now!

Special shout out to the boys at Yez Racing for supplying most of the parts for this shit box. Check them out [here] and hit up their Facebook page [here].

For constant bantering, updates and the odd “push” from Skylines Australia members check out my build thread [here] where I post from time to time my tunes, logs, photos, videos, etc.

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/five-years-ago-i-brought-home-a-fridge/feed/2trak-life X Greaser Trackday 03.05.17http://www.trak-life.com/trak-life-x-greaser-trackday-03-05-17/
http://www.trak-life.com/trak-life-x-greaser-trackday-03-05-17/#commentsSat, 06 May 2017 13:51:31 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=6117Another trackday has come and gone, this time trak-life teamed up with Greaser Co. to co-organise an awesome day out at Wakefield Park Raceway in Goulburn. Open pit lane format, 10 cars max on the track at one time, 32 cars total – it’s the ideal time attack equation. From the trak-life stable, the S15, …

]]>Another trackday has come and gone, this time trak-life teamed up with Greaser Co. to co-organise an awesome day out at Wakefield Park Raceway in Goulburn.

Open pit lane format, 10 cars max on the track at one time, 32 cars total – it’s the ideal time attack equation.

From the trak-life stable, the S15, EP3 Type R and 180 were present with Johnny’s Fridge still missing in action due to an ongoing engine build. Greaser Co. side included two AE86’s and a DC2 Type R.

There was no shortage of variety on this day as turbo whooshy noises, VTEC and 6 cylinder braps threatened to set off the extended 95dB noise limit.

As much as my words can relive the day, pictures are what conjure up the feels so enjoy.
Big thanks to our trusty photographers Angus and Gareth for taking the time out and snapping these amazing pics.

Morning

Main Straight

Back Straight

Thanks for all who came (hopefully we’ll make full capacity next time!) and to our sponsors Intima Brakes, Garmin & Street Cover.

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/trak-life-x-greaser-trackday-03-05-17/feed/1Trackday Chronicles VII – Long Overduehttp://www.trak-life.com/trackday-chronicles-vii-long-overdue/
http://www.trak-life.com/trackday-chronicles-vii-long-overdue/#commentsTue, 28 Mar 2017 12:21:09 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5866You’ve heard it all before, I’m guilty – guilty of not updating trak-life’s track adventures as soon as they come. Surprisingly, two long years have passed since my last entry and you could say a few things have gone down during that time (namely PBs). With the most recent trackday on the 6th March 2017 …

]]>You’ve heard it all before, I’m guilty – guilty of not updating trak-life’s track adventures as soon as they come.Surprisingly, two long years have passed since my last entry and you could say a few things have gone down during that time (namely PBs).

With the most recent trackday on the 6th March 2017 still fresh in my head, it was time to put all these memories and milestones to text.

2015 was a very quiet year for track day events for trak-life, there simply wasn’t much going on as we were heavily constrained by time and money (guess nothing new there).

2016 brought a new dawn though as all three trak-life heroes embarked on their separate builds in pursuit of power because to be honest, when is it ever enough?

Phil’s S15 Silvia – Pearl

As you know from my previous chronicle installments, the 1:10 Wakefield laptime seemed like it was going to be etched into stone as my PB forever.Determined that I had to crack the single digits before I exponentially wound up the power, on one very hot open day later in December 2015 it finally happened.Running fresh Hankook C50 Z221’s on a square set of 370Z rims with a decent sized Origin GT wing flopping round back, I secured a 1:09.8 in high 30 degree heat on the very last session of the day (you’ll see this lap further down).It was the final hurrah for my beloved 223kW E85 T28 setup which is damn bloody fun and an absolutely lethal combo for the track and street.

It was a big year for upgrades in 2016 and Pearl barely managed to be 100% ready by the time the first May trackday of 2016 presented itself.I was excited not only to debut Pearl v3.0 on the track but this would also be our first time organising a trackday (with the Yez Racing crew) which has always been an aspiration of ours so there was much to look forward to.Getting together and chasing PB’s with mates whilst meeting new like minded people, basically just having fun and continuous talk about cars is how we roll.

Surprisingly with all the extra power, Pearl wasn’t that much more of a handful on the track.In the handling department she remained unchanged and felt grippy as ever being thrown around Wakefield’s tight corners – the questionable downforce provided by my unstable rear wing helped with that.With my new GTX2867R setup now providing brutal acceleration and a massive mid range punch resulting in 278kW from the rear treads, the straightways now seemed too short as Pearl engulfed them easily with her new found power.Despite feeling like I was going at a blistering pace, for most of the morning I couldn’t crack the 1:10s.You see, alongside the boost in power there was also one massive downside newly introduced – lag.

Having gone from a 6 to a 5 speed paired with a 3.9 ratio diff (most people typically run 4.11), it unfortunately compounded the lag even more. To make matters worse, my VCT unit decided to rattle it’s head off during the day meaning anything below 4000rpm was absolutely woeful.You can just imagine the awkward gaze I shared with Minh on the last corner exit as we waited for the delayed push to propel us onto the back straight… yup it was that bad.Downshifting into 2nd was an option but thanks to my notchy W pattern shifter, it was actually more troublesome and slower finding it.

To make matters worse, Pearl’s new braking setup just wasn’t up to the task. Running Intima Type-D pads in Evo Brembo calipers paired with beefy DBA T3 4000 350mm Evo X rotors up front should equate to amazing stopping power. There was just two things missing though… a bigger brake master cylinder and an upgraded rear setup.Due to time restraints, the BM57, rear Skyline R33 2 pot calipers and rear 296mm rotors never made it on in time. I was left to struggle with abysmal pedal feedback and bite provided by the stock BM50 and stock rear setup with old HC800 pads. This definitely did not instill much confidence but thankfully the front Intima Type-D pads managed to pull her up safely lap after lap.

It was quite disheartening knowing how much time and money (and grief) I had spent to get her to this level and the simple matter of the fact was, I couldn’t even beat my previous PB.Exhausted by my efforts, I gave up the reins to Minh and sat as passenger for the first time ever in my Pearl.

As Minh piloted Pearl around the tight 2.2km circuit I sat there totally amazed and scared.Minh is a gun driver with apparently bigger balls than myself which subsequently meant he pushed much harder than I ever did. As I sat there holding onto dear life, it was crazy feeling how fast Pearl actually flew around the track. There was no coasting with Minh, either the brake or gas was mashed to the floor and it was this aggression I realised that I needed to absorb into my driving style. Pearl loved it too, with every fierce lash from behind the wheel she obediently beckoned to the drivers will.Despite suffering the same response and braking handicaps as I, Minh managed to clock in a new overall PB with a 1:08.5 and not to mention his first time driving her too, Awesome stuff!There was no doubt in my mind I couldn’t also do a 1:08.With my new slightly enlarged scrotums, I applied the aggression I had just learnt and stopped the clocks with a new PB of 1:08.7. I was absolutely stoked. About time I leveled up as a driver.

Four months later it was time for our second co-organised Wakefield trackday with the Yez Racing crew. Driving down the afternoon prior through heavy pockets of rain cast many doubts for PB smashing the next day. Thankfully the trackday gods heard our incessant prayers and you couldn’t have asked for a better day – bone dry with cool air temps.With Pearl sorted mainly in the form of a replaced VCT gear (meaning there now resembled some kind of power below 4000rpm) and a Skyline rear braking setup with fresh Intima Type-D pads, Pearl was ready to crack some PB’s!

What were my expectations? I knew Pearl was now well capable of a 1:06 so I set that as my goal. Nothing unrealistic about that for a full street trimmed S15 is there?I had no qualms about Pearl, besides aero she was finally in an optimal time attack state… I was keen to get going!

For half of the day, it was pretty much a write off. Applying what I had learnt last trackday with even more aggression simply didn’t pay off as I jumped too hot on corner entries resulting in many horrendous understeer encounters. Oddly enough the only instance coming off the track was from massive understeering on the turn 4 uphill corner. My overzealous driving style resulted in dismal 1:12s.

Everyone knows that being mentally focused is equally important as a fully functional time attack car and my mind simply was not there.Perhaps it was the lack of sleep (cough Angus & Johnny lol) or the distractions of having all your mates brapping around you but I needed a boost.Thankfully that boost came in the form a hamburger with the lot and a cup of black coffee at lunch time… mmmmm mmmm.

What a great feeling it was reducing those digits, piecing that one perfect lap together.Soon enough though, pure exhaustion set in again as the coffee kick quickly drained out of my system.Content with my new PB, I happily retired from the day to help some of the other boys crack their PBs.

Curious to see if he could better his previous time in Pearl, Minh hopped in and put my PB to shame… just – 1:07.859.Might be time to transplant all of trak180’s goodies into an S15 considering the good times he’s setting in Pearl! (I jokes Minh don’t hurt me)

You know what they say, third time’s a charm and so it was at the most recent Yez Racing trackday just past on the 6th of March.

My focus for this trackday was stability and safety. Chasing power and times is all well and good but one area most of us overlook is safety. As I push harder and harder and dip into the mid 1 minute range, it was only a matter of time that Pearl would get a roll cage installed for peace of mind. AGI Precision roll cages supplied their CAMS approved half cage and off it went to the boys at Greasers to fit as it wasn’t exactly “bolt in”.

There was no turning back now, Pearl was getting serious and moving away from a “streetable” S15. Blah… who needs rear seats anyway?

(Speaking of safety, my GT wing finally got the reinforcement it needed to avoid the possibility of it flying off into a trailing cars windshield)

While Pearl was getting the royal Greaser treatment, a set of Vibra Technics engine mounts were also whacked in along with some front bumper canards.

Power through the rear wheels remained mostly unchanged although a bigger 3.5” front pipe and decat may have snuck in some killer wasps via the improved exhaust flow.Pigeon flutters are now also permanently absent as I opted for a fully vented Turbosmart Race port BOV for some peace of mind and the hope for improved transient response.

Everything was going to plan! Until I decided to change the engine oil and stripped the thread on my Greddy sump. *facepalm*Stock sump, back on you go on for now.

As each trackday goes by, Pearl just gets better and better on the track. With an aggressive wheel alignment, canards, roll cage and engine mounts, the feedback and overall feel was amazing. It’s probably a bit “raw” for some but to me, this is how a responsive track car should feel.Sure, everything rattled like crazy in the cabin (and I’m sure this contributed to 3 out of the 4 turbo to manifold nuts coming off) but sometimes it’s a compromise, you can’t always have your cake and eat it too (I like to come close though).

After Johnny had broken in Pearl throughout the morning sessions while I was busy steering the Honda Civic EP3, it was time for me to lay down some times. Unfortunately for me though, it was 1:30pm, very sunny and energy levels were at an all time low after smashing out PB’s in the Honda.

Smashing the pedal at 3500rpm made that disappear though. The rush of 278kW coursing through the drivetrain and the G’s pushing me back into my Cobra bucket seat unlocked some hidden adrenaline.Considering I was driving a relatively gutless N/A machine for most of the day, the surge in power was borderline scary.Pearl held herself true to me as always as she never stepped out of line holding flat throughout all corners. Perhaps it was the wheel alignment, the reinforced GT wing, the canards or I was just delusional but something was at work as I punched out a 1:06.9 on my QStarz GPS timer.

Albeit a high 1:06 but I’ll take it! Super stoked… ecstatic even!Checking the official Natsoft leaderboard though, it clocked me in at 1:07.5… WTF!?

Til the very end to 3:59.59pm I drove Pearl in desperation to officially clock a 1:06 Natsoft time but alas it did not happen. Pearl was tired, I was tired and I had a nice whistling noise coming from my turbo manifold gasket. According to my GPS timer I clocked in two low 1:07.1 and 1:07.2 laps in the last session but sadly I knew they were probably out for reasons unknown.

Plenty to ponder for the long drive home… after wheels have been changed and two cars loaded up of course!

First thing I did when I got home (well after having dinner and saying hi to the wifey first, that’s compulsory) was jump on the PC and scrutinise my “1:06.9” lap on the timer and videoSo what was the result?? Have a look for yourself:

Yep… can we really trust our phone and dedicated GPS timers?Not sure why the times were out of whack for this day as I edited previous videos and they matched the GPS times correctly!

Watching the video above though really reinforces one thing though… The use of second gear is a must! Definitely losing time waiting for boost at the fish hook and final corner.

Phil’s EP3 Type R

Honda fan or not, there’s no denying that the Type R series of Honda’s are good piece of kit from the factory. Rice rocket or not, the EP3 shape holds a soft spot for me so when an opportunity presented itself to finally have one in my garage I couldn’t resist.Already tuned via a Hondata to a claimed 150kW at the front wheels, this faithful K20A packs a bit of punch on its climb to 9000rpm. I wouldn’t exactly call it fast but the willingness and bwaaahhh makes it all a pretty lively and enjoyable experience.

For its first trackday appearance earlier this year at a Wakefield open day, I really didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never pushed a FWD around the track before and I was keen to see what the little hatch I’ve longed for so long could do.On went Toyo R888 semis and Intima SR brake pads all round. Having used the Intima Type-D pads in my S15 I was curious to see how the Intima street and track crossover pad fared.

As I commanded the Type-R to do my bidding behind the stock Momo wheel at Wakefield, I found myself mentally nodding at one of Tsuchiya’s many wise quotes from his revered Best Motoring and Hot Version episodes – “it’s all about balance”.Even though my K20A was not delivering stock power, it still mated with the overall handling and chassis very nicely. Lap after lap the pedal was to the metal as I squeezed every kW out of the sweet sounding all motor engine and loving every minute of it.

Driving the EP3 was simply… fun. Am I being swayed to the dark side?

With the fear of spinning out pretty much eliminated, pushing the car and finding its limits was easy – confidence was at an all time high.Weaving the EP3 around Wakefield I was surprised at how well the stock suspension held up. Sure there was a decent amount of body roll and understeer but it was all manageable, put your foot down, point and shoot and there she’d go. Some kind of track wheel alignment was definitely needed for next time though that’s for sure, it was most likely way off!

The other big surprise was how well the Intima SR pads held up, on stock front rotors too! The bite and progression was great whilst brake fade was predictable after a few hot laps. Considering the price tag on the SRs and how similar they feel to the more expensive Project Mu HC800/HC+s there’s honestly no reason I’d choose the latter.The rotors did take a beating though as they struggled to keep the temps down, tiny hairline fractures started to appear as the surface turned blue… They are stock after all.

To my knowledge the quickest N/A EP3 around Wakefield clocked in at 1:09.9 by BYP Racing Developments. Seeing I’m already past that on Pearl, couldn’t be too hard right?The best I could muster on the day though was a 1:11.8 which I was still pretty happy about.There was definitely much improvement to be had as I was still driving like it was a RWD and needed to drop it into 2nd more efficiently for VTEC power out of the fishhook and final corner.

On the trackday just past on the 6th of March, I keyed together more missing pieces which resulted in an acceptable 1:10.6 PB. Still no sub 1:10 but it was plenty good enough since the only upgrades were front Z221’s, T3 4000’s and a tiny bit of driver skill.
A track wheel alignment was still missing making the grippy Hankook rubber struggle all the way to the sidewall for mid corner grip as the EP3 chewed threw corners, it was still miles ahead of the old R888’s though.

With the new rotors now dissipating heat much quicker than previously, braking was harder, deeper and longer lasting (get your mind out of the gutter!), there was no shortage of stopping power provided by the Intima SR brake pads. Even going flat out through the kink, the EP3 pulled up well in preparation for turn 2.

Reinforcing the same feelings from the first time I took the Type R out on track, it was fun wringing out everything it had to offer especially when the redline was 9000rpm.With a decent set of coilovers and a track wheel alignment she was definitely going to dip into the 1:09’s which was crazy to think how hard it was for me to do this with Pearl.Even scarier was how much faster EP3 could be with some more power mods… did anyone say Rotrex? Is the Honda going to catch up with Pearl?

It’s sort of pleasant writing this long overdue article, it allowed me to relive the whole experience of driving EP3 and Pearl back to back. I can honestly say that one isn’t more fun than the other.Both cars leave me drenched in sweat after every session and both cars have me gritting my teeth as I tackle the corners harder and harder.
Pearl has the power and outright grip but combining those two for the perfect lap requires extreme finesse as she can be very unforgiving.EP3 on the other hand has the response and reassurance allowing you to go flat out at every opportunity, pedals mashed either on or off.Even with the significant difference in power and characteristics, both cars feel equally fast and capable in their natural habitat.

Most importantly for me though, they bring the challenge to the driver to always do one better.

Johnny’s R33 Fridge & Minh’s trak180

It’s not all about Pearl and EP3 this installment!

Johnny and the purple Fridge enjoyed some success too by clocking in a new PB of 1:12.038 on the only trackday of 2015.Sporting shiny new MCA XR coilovers, the land boat wasn’t just all about power anymore as the 1600kg ballast now handled gracefully around corners perched on tired Nitto NT01s.

But for Johnny, Powercruise was life and every visit to the track meant a bump in power.

This time it was 340 killer wasps buzzing wildly out of the screamer.

On the same trackday on that scorching summers day, Minh and his trak180 were out to clock in their last time in the old GT3071 (a.k.a super lag monster) setup before stepping up their game with a wild version 2.0 build.Whilst their previous solid PB of 1:08.4 stood unbroken that day, the consistent 1:09’s were sufficient consolation in the less than ideal conditions.

Farewell unresponsive GT series… hello twin scroll GTX!

For its 2016 debut, Johnny unsurprisingly decided more power for the Fridge wasn’t a bad thing (#powercruiseislife). A whopping 372kW was now available on tap thanks to an updated Hypergear turbo which made Johnny very happy… until the head started to lift and boost got turned down… for a bit.

Thankfully the braking game was also stepped up a notch with beefy 350Z Brembos up front with trusty Intima Type-D pads. Stopping 1.6 tonnes going almost 200kmh down the main straight is no easy feat! Aiming to hit the 1:10 mark, Johnny ever so slightly missed the mark with a 1:11.6 which was still a new PB. Considering the weight disadvantage and old NT01s, this trak-life R33 GTS-T just keeps getting better and better. Progression is the key!

Unfortunately missing from any track action that day was Minh’s trak180 which had a few teething issues from the new turbo setup (32psi boost spikes… Yikes).On the plus side though, gotta be happy with the 1:08.4 he set in Pearl!With a good 4 months grace until the next September 2016 trackday, Johnny and Minh used this precious time to source crucial go fast parts and finalise their rides for redemption round.

For Johnny, he secured the most crucial go fast bit ever known to Fridge… from a 2001 Autosalon magazine – his GTR wing:

There was many wows as it brought all the boys to the yard in amazement and disbelief. Did it actually help with anything?

I thought I was dead tired on this day, but unlike Johnny I wasn’t also hungover. This seemed to work in his favour though because when he finally decided to try and string together a hotlap in the mid afternoon, he came back with a PB. I knew it was a good PB too judging by his sheepish smile that exuded nothing but glee – a 1:09.6.It may have been the liquid confidence, fresh‘ish’ Nitto NT01s, the additional blingy downforce or just all of them combined but Johnny’s new PB was definitely a ripper.

Sub 1:10 laps are the hardest, I would know – especially in a car that’s way heavier than Pearl!

Sometimes I wonder how he pulled that 1:09 lap together against the odds… sometimes I wonder if he remembers (lols). Great result nevertheless, welcome to the single digit club… it only gets exponentially more expensive from here.

Minh’s trak180 was back in action and he was keen to put in maximum time this round with the tuning, gearbox and fuel issues sorted.

Pumping out a thundering 351kW in his S chassis without ABS is a handful to say the least as the NT01s worked overtime to keep the 180 bonded with the tarmac.
Consistent 1:09’s were plenty throughout the day though no new PB set thanks to a difficult 2nd gear.For the first real shakedown since the new engine and suspension setup, we were all just glad no major problems surfaced. She should be 100% ready for the next outing which was the trackday just over 2 weeks ago on the 6th March.

Fridge with the polarising purple (pink?) GTR wing was noticeably absent due to a current engine rebuild so Johnny had the joys of playing with my beloved Honda for most of the day.. You can tell he enjoyed it (video of Johnny spinning out on turn is meant to be here).

Equipped with a purpose made front splitter and new Advan AO50 tread all around, trak180 was all super serious business this time around. All that power needed to mate with grip after all in order to lay down serious times. As the day progressed, times improved as driver pushed the ever evolving setup further and further.By midday, a 1:07.6 beamed up on the leaderboard to the delight of Minh and the Greaser boys who were serving as the vital race engineering crew.

That was as far as the S13 would go that day though as exhaust and oil leaks were discovered compromising the safety of the engine. Back on the the trailer she went.

Minh did find solace in breaking my EP3 PB though… typical!!! 1:10.2 was my new time to beat in the Honda.

And now it’s back to working on all three trak-life cars to make them more reliable, safer and faster for the next attack on time. Stay posted for my next installment, I promise it won’t take another two years!

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/trackday-chronicles-vii-long-overdue/feed/2Where to Now with Fridge the R33 Skyline?http://www.trak-life.com/now-fridge-r33-skyline/
http://www.trak-life.com/now-fridge-r33-skyline/#commentsSun, 19 Feb 2017 23:40:55 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5835As per the title, where to now with ‘Fridge’ the R33 Skyline? Well this post isn’t so much about where it’s heading but where it is currently at and the uncertainty I have for the old JDM car scene. As you guys may have known, last year was the last time Fridge went out to …

]]>As per the title, where to now with ‘Fridge’ the R33 Skyline? Well this post isn’t so much about where it’s heading but where it is currently at and the uncertainty I have for the old JDM car scene. As you guys may have known, last year was the last time Fridge went out to Wakefield in one piece – she didn’t break anything other than her Personal Best (PB) with basic Nitto NT01’s that were about 3 track days old.
NT01 – 3x Track Days Old!

Coming in a 1m9.3s was the best time this car has ever done, and sadly the last she may ever do.

Years of track abuse, numerous anti-lag launches, countless hours spent at the rev limiter takes its toll and in this case the motor decided to let go, albeit not the usual way. Things seem to always go in spectacular fashion for me, in many of my life’s adventures, however this one would probably be a good one to recite at BBQs.
So long story short, the turbo exploded first (luckily near home) which initially was thought to be an intercooler hose coming off however it was a little more severe than that. The turbo imploded as the turbine wheel snapped off from the shaft and decided to mill itself into the housing as well. Surely enough, my first thoughts were over-sped turbo, no use of BOV, constant ignition retard to induce pops and bang and an ignition only rev limiter caused it’s premature death. It was at this point where things got hazy and somewhat a bit messy – always in spectacular fashion as I’ve mentioned before.

So it’s just a matter of turbo off, get it replaced and we’re back online for a whole year of more serious track thrashing right? It could have played out like that but nope.

Moving on from that laughable ordeal, I packaged up the humble Hypergear SS2 with optional Ceramic Ball Bearing centre and sent it back to Tao at Hypergear HQ to get it repaired on warranty (yes I destroyed the turbo and Tao said he’ll repair it under warranty no questions asked – even though I told him it ran at 1.85bar most of it’s life instead of the recommended 1.5bar), service with a smile I would say. Off it went on it’s adventures on Australia Post’s snail mail system and a few days later when Tao and the team received the turbo I get a message from Tao himself with the question “How is your motor?” followed by a smiley face. I said “it’s pretty good, last been going strong for 4 years (I still knew it was a ticking time bomb, but she’ll be right)”. Tao then sends me a photo with the message “That’s not turbo bits in your turbine housing”.

Yep…. it was in fact, bits of piston ring lands and appears to be bits of compressed/shaven piston rings too – oh the joys of knowing you’re about to throw wads of cash on a car that’s well… worth nothing. I manage to take out a motor, and also a turbo at the same time – the odds!

Time for motor out and an inspection and oh look, free metal shavings – bonus!

I knew this day was coming, but didn’t realise that soon! Luckily I had some money stashed aside in the stock market for this day, I always like to have a contingency plan for most things. The contingency plans I have for most things are probably due to my line of work, I always have to envisage worse case scenarios in all IT systems so it’s natural I plan for things that most don’t plan for in life.

Time to order parts!

Unfortunately that never happened, certain things in life aren’t always planned for – being the person that’s always a step ahead or in fact planned for all scenarios this time I failed, I failed with the fact that things closer to me didn’t go to plan. With personal issues from my late father departing to my beloved family dog Panda passing I had to overcome and manage a fair amount of financial stress, emotional stress and so it turns out your car ends up being last priority. As I write this post, perhaps maybe the last for Fridge this is where she sits today with no motor, no gearbox attached and being weathered. The easiest and simplest option right is to just give up and get rid of the lot, we’ll go our own ways and the Fridge the R33 Skyline and I are no more, but with my life there isn’t an easy option or is there anything easy per se – well in my case.

So the other option, do I go full retard or half retard?

Decisions are hard, but let’s see how this ends up in March as I’m attending a track day with a borrowed car!

Who knows, we might see Fridge v4.0 or something else v1.0 or even it’s good bye to the car scene forever.

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/now-fridge-r33-skyline/feed/2trak180 Redemptionhttp://www.trak-life.com/trak180-redemption/
http://www.trak-life.com/trak180-redemption/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 02:28:36 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5729Hello everyone, after the last few months of what seemed like never ending building and tuning I am finally able to detail the specifics of the v2.0 build of trak180. There has been plenty of negative outcomes with this build, which came as a surprise as I thought with the combined knowledge and experience of …

]]>Hello everyone, after the last few months of what seemed like never ending building and tuning I am finally able to detail the specifics of the v2.0 build of trak180. There has been plenty of negative outcomes with this build, which came as a surprise as I thought with the combined knowledge and experience of both Greaser and Trak-Life, we would knock off the build in little time and be ready to race for the 2016 season.

As I outlined in my first article, the main reason for updating the car with a massive array of new parts was to better enhance areas that were lacking around the car and to make the setup more suited towards my driving style. What started off as an idea to improve response and power through a turbo upgrade ended up as a complete overhaul of many components of the car. I guess in hindsight it was inevitable as most of the old mechanical parts were tired and holding back the car’s performance.

We started off with the engine bay mods. The car came equipped with a rebuilt Forced Motorworx high compression SR20DET with many desirable bolt on mods. There was little concern with the motor pushing more boost but response was a key area in deciding the upgraded turbo. With the idea of future proofing the setup, this would allow for the procedure to be done properly and last the life of the motor. A Garrett GTX3071 0.83 divided housing accompanied with a 6Boost twinscroll high mounted manifold and Turbosmart 45mm external gate hanging off the merged collectors was an exciting combo which would offer the much needed response with the top end power to match (250-350kw). To gain the most from the set up the fuel system was beefed up to use “jungle juice” E85 through a larger Walbro 460 fuel pump, Bosch 1250cc injectors, Zeitronix flex fuel sensor and gauge, Turbosmart FPR1200 fuel pressure regulator and an expensive list of Aeroflow fittings and braided lines.

Off the bat we hit a brick wall with the manifold positioning the turbo too high and angling it awkwardly towards the rocker cover. This would make the fabwork of the dump pipe extremely difficult as the position would require at least 100x lobster bends for the dump pipe to clear (note sarcasm). A wait time of 3 weeks ensued and during that time the fuel system was carefully laid in the engine bay with the only issue being the fitment of the injectors underneath the fuel rail (solved by cutting it down the injector rail spacers to suit the injector length).

Once the exhaust manifold was returned to us, the much needed clearances allowed for the turbo to mounted and all accompanying lines and v bands fixed ready for the fabricators to work their magic with the new dump pipe and intake. During this time, the 300ZX Z32 gearbox which sat dormant in my garage for the past 2 years was stripped down and had the custom made adapter plate, tailshaft and shifter setup all mocked up to be mated to the clutch and motor.

The Z32 gearbox conversion was a crucial component in the build as I knew from research that the standard SR20DET box would not last with the upgraded power. It would be the torque from the E85 loaded into the gearbox that would grenade the internals, so a proven Z32 gearset (same as RB25DET) was going to take the abuse and last. What the team didn’t realise was how troublesome such a conversion would be as issues unknown to us kept hampering progress. The most obvious was the required engine mount height needed to make the custom driveshaft sit at a safe operational angle. Along with a new set of polyurethane engine and gearbox mount set, an N/A Z32 speed sensor was required for the speedometer to work. While the sensor is still off in terms of accuracy, we had no reverse signal or lights and the new shifting of the Z32 box took some getting use to as it differs from the traditional H pattern gate.

After multiple installs of the Z32 box, the car was loaded and headed off to the fabricators. Here the work that was required was merging the collectors to meet the single external gate, a new 4 inch intake pipe with new pod filter setup and a stainless steel 3 inch dump pipe with everything sealed by V bands to allow for ease of access and removal.

A short stint of downtime followed with the team pleased to leave the work to the professionals and thankfully no dreadful phone calls came through.

Arriving back at Greaser headquarters, the next step was the final assembly of all engine bay turbo components and fuel system. During this time I was able to order the new ignition system from ECK which comprised of Toyota Yaris coil packs which had inbuilt ignitors, replacing the ageing technology of the oem coil packs (with external ignitor setup). The new turbo setup would take up so much space at the back end of the bay that the existing catch can was deemed unusable so the solution was to create a frankenstein S13.4 rocker cover which had internal baffles preventing oil and vapours to vent (a common problem with S13/180sx rocker covers). At the same time a rerouted smaller catch can was mounted over the radiator.

The ECU was one area which had always bugged me as the dinosaur Apexi Power FC – which although worked fine, did absolutely nothing to prevent knock or offer engine protection. With the prices of new modern ECU’s costing more than a decent home computer system it was hard to justify the cost at first. Luckily for me a used Adaptronic Select ECU which is referred to as a no frills Haltech (with a few idiosyncrasies) popped up on the forums one night and was snagged up the same week. With the ECU using an inbuilt map sensor much like the Power FC D Jetro, the setup would not need an air flow meter and allow the car to still run should a cooler pipe blow. The most important aspect of a modern ECU is the engine protection it offered which allowed for parameters to be set should something fail, the ECU essentially reacts in real time to pull timing/fuel to save the motor. It was an insurance lifeline which i was happy to pay for as it would automatically override the car’s settings during hard driving to protect the engine/turbo setup.

The car fired to life after a long night of wiring by electrical guru Johnny and was ready for its initial base map tuning. The relief on everyone’s mind was evident as it took us so long to get to this point, but like any achievement a setback quickly snapped those smiles to frown. We left the workshop that night puzzled as to why the injectors weren’t allowing the car to idle and the ECU leaning out the fuel mixture up top on boost. Later we found out that the braided lines used for the fuel reg had very noticeable vibrations and the dampening of the fuel coming into the motor was non existent and turbulent. Like common practice I didn’t care how much it costed, I just wanted the issues to be resolved and this resulted in the purchase of a Radium fuel dampener to smoothen out the fuel delivery.

D Day arrived shortly after the green lights were given by Johnny and the car made its appearance at the Dyno up at Castle Hill. The magic number was 300kW and anything above it would be a bonus, but it would take some time ironing out the driveability part of the tune before we started to “boogie”. With timing pushed through the motor we hit 300kW with ease and the power curve looked to be climbing even at redline. However regardless of what settings were played with, the car would not hold consistent boost above 20 psi. We left the dyno session with just under 320kW and figured we’d tackle the issue after the first track day.

The first track day in the early half of 2016 was a distant memory as the very first session of the day I knew something was terribly wrong with the car. On noise it would spike to over 30 psi and would cut out randomly on boost. Left stranded in the pits I made the most of the day steering the other trak-life stable cars.

Straight after, the car was loaded back at Greaser HQ for diagnostics to occur and the culprit ended up being the wastegate grub screws not being installed (a simple error given the stressful deadline to make the track day). What I took away from the dyno tuning session and track day was the familiar lag of the old turbo setup. While in denial that the BC 264 cams were not the cause of the issue, changing to a smaller cam would shift the powerband, but by how much no one knew. I didn’t come this far for it to feel the same response wise so a pair of Tomei Poncams 256 camshafts were ordered and fitted. With the rocker cover off, we made the effort to retorque the headstuds as it has been some years since it was built and it was a precautionary measure for intended boost we wanted to push.

Dyno Tuning session 2 went alot smoother than the first, with everything double checked to ensure a problem free run. With the change of cams we still needed two hours to complete the tune but the last 30 minutes had everyone grinning ear to ear as the car relentlessly pushed more power and responded to the timing very well. With 351kW made on close to 28 psi we decided that it was more than enough and exceeded our expectation by 20kW. Luckily for me, the next track day to test the new found power was only a few days after the tune. In this short time, we fitted the newly acquired MCA Red suspension, Voltex Type 2 Carbon Wing and had a 50mm front splitter and canards made up to complete the aero package.

The RS40 WRX Private track day that followed was the most unique but also disappointing day I had since embarking on v2 of the build. Going into the day I was just happy to have everything ready and working for a shakedown but that wasn’t to be. What plagued the car before with the overboosting and fuel cuts was still there and little could be done to test out the power as the track was completely wet making for some very hairy excursions on boost.

The final piece of the puzzle came in the form of a surge tank install, using one of Taarks newly released surge tank products. At this stage I was over spending money on the car and was starting to feel a lot of anxiety questioning if the setup would ever work. Praying to the SR20 gods we steadily chipped away leading to the final Yez Racing x trak-life track day and spanner checked the whole car making sure it would head down to Wakefield Park with the best chance possible to turn in some laps.

Finally I am able to say that the car works! The big weekend leading to the Monday trackday did wonders in distracting my mind from the paranoia, but it still lingered at the back of my mind. Monday rolled around and the clear skies and convoy of familiar faces and cars had me in a upbeat mood. A quick check from Johnny on track was greeted with an AOK for me to take her out for a shakedown. I can’t explain the elation I felt when I was able to give it WOT (wide open throttle) and have every gear rev to redline without any hesitation. With the car moving forward and feeling lively, I laid down a high 1:09 on the first session. With the car running gate pressure, I then started to fine tune the new suspension but was greeted many requests for passenger rides. I was happy to oblige and in turn churned out over 80 laps on the day.

Now, this update wouldn’t fit the consistent negative vibe unless I mentioned something was amiss. Prior to the track day the gearbox was overhauled with a new unit after we found the gears on the old box to be rooted resulting in severe crunching in 3rd and 4th gear.

Running with the replacement gearbox,the only issue of the day was that I couldn’t find second gear given the mods to the shifter. It wasn’t that the fact that it was broken, more so the shortened shifter made finding the gate very difficult under load. I ended up totally disregarding that gear completely and told whoever that was piloting the car to do the same. I ended the day with a high 1:08 with no 2nd gear and running gate pressure. But the most important thing was that the car finally was singing it’s full song and was reliable all day. Knowing that we had the parts to fix the problem back at HQ I left the day feeling super relieved.

So how does the car feel? In every way better – the suspension, brakes, aero and power are still yet to be fine tuned but from what we could tweak on the day, the car is super balanced and is properly shaken down waiting for the upgrade of new tyres and the ability to turn up the wick (was running 18psi on the day with the 27psi setting waiting to be switched on).

I’d like to finish off this article by sending out a big thank you to the team at Greaser Co and trak-life for dealing with my shit and shitbox of a car (at least it’s a fast shitbox now).

The next plan of attack is to buy new proper semi slicks and go chase some times.

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/trak180-redemption/feed/0Intima Brake Pads Review – SR & Type Dhttp://www.trak-life.com/intima-brake-pads-review-sr-type-d/
http://www.trak-life.com/intima-brake-pads-review-sr-type-d/#respondFri, 15 Jul 2016 05:41:47 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5627Looking for the new Type-D v2.0 review? http://www.trak-life.com/intima-type-d-v2-0-brake-pad-review/ Minh – trak180 Brakes for me is an area that needs to work well to be in a good mental state to push hard out at the track. A firm pedal feel with consistent braking power allows for uninterrupted focus. With the vast array of brands out there …

Minh – trak180

Brakes for me is an area that needs to work well to be in a good mental state to push hard out at the track. A firm pedal feel with consistent braking power allows for uninterrupted focus. With the vast array of brands out there it can be quite a daunting task choosing an option to start with. For my review of the Intimas, I’d like to recommend them for beginners or intermediate track goers who are refining both their setup and car control.

Intima SR is a pad that I have been using with my Mitsubishi Evolution Brembo calipers on my Nissan 180sx for 2 years and they have been faultless. I have covered more than 6 track days in them before needing a replacement. They are positioned within the middle of the Intima range, targeting enthusiasts who street drive and occasionally venture out to the track. On the street they get up temp pretty quick and provide smooth progressive feel just as you would prefer out of light duty braking. Bring it to your favourite stretch of road and watch them change as they heat up to temperature and provide the bite to attack those corners.

Out on the track however is where they shine, unlike other pads I have used in the past (won’t mention any names) the Intima brake pad provide the same progressive feel but pull up the vehicle from higher speed as you press deeper on that brake pedal. They last around 4-5 hot laps before they start to fade, but by that time the tyres would have shown you the same treatment. Knowing that there is consistency is reassuring as you battle yourself against the clock or chase/lead other vehicles out on the track.

For the price point you can’t go past the Intima SR range as a hybrid street and track pad.

Johnny – Fridge R33 GTS-T

Alrighty… I recall someone asking me to review Intima Type-D pads over at Skylines Australia, so having the chance to punish the car just recently at the track day held by us and Yez Racing, I can safely say these pads hold up very well and are very progressive when compared to the likes of my old Project MU HC800 which are essentially a street/track crossover pad.

However just a small caveat, I’ve moved from stock R33 GTS-t calipers with Project MU HC800 pads to 350Z Brembo calipers with Intima Type-D pads, at the time the rears at the time were still running Project Mu HC800 with 4mm of pad left (which were destroyed by the end of the day and resulted in metal to metal)

First of all, the Intima pads are rated a little higher than the Project MU HC800 (0 to 700 degrees celsius) vs. Type-D (250 to 850 celsius). They might be rated at 250 celsius starting point, however with street use they seem to pull up fine even from the cold. These pads felt very normal for street use and nearly feel similar to running normal street pads such as Intima SR or Project Mu NS400, etc. just without the hard initial bite they would provide.

Just to give everyone more context on how they were judged, I’ve listed the variables below:

Pads don’t need much heat to get them to boogie compared to the likes of Project Mu HC800

After turn 2, the pads are ready to be used

Pads are much more progressive, not on/off compared to the likes of Project Mu HC800

They can be pre-loaded and stomped on and they pull up very well

Fade is quite progressive too, will start to fade approximately 5~6 lapsNote: running Project Mu HC800 Rears with 4mm of pad left also I’m hitting over 200km/h down the main straight.

After fade, half a cool down lap is only required before brakes are back to 60~80% capacity

In conclusion, without any real technical data I highly rate them over Project Mu HC800 however Project Mu offer a Club Racer pad which would be a proper comparison to the Intima Type-D and potentially would provide a better comparison.

Phil – Pearl S15

Brakes, brakes, brakes, brakes… the last thing I think about when buying mods for my car.Power, handling and aesthetics are always focus points but braking? Meh as long as it stops right?

Ever since the first time I laid my mark at Wakefield and got a 1:20 til now where I’m sitting at 1:08, I’ve seen what a good set of brake pads can do. At the beginning I ran a set of QFM A1RM’s to the ground after forums suggested this as a good performance/value pad, at the time I didn’t know better. It stopped reasonably well I thought and brake fade after a lap or two was “normal”. Even the lack of cold braking on the street I thought was normal, geez what a noob.

Stepping up to the mainstream Project Mu HC800 pads next, the difference was night and day. The sheer braking power and response which I could get Pearl to stop at my whim was amazing. There’s no wonder these pads were the norm for the casual trackday attendee. Not exactly cheap and long lasting but hey, they were aqua and JDM yo! To their credit they are an amazing pad when stepping up from a street spec pad.

I would have probably stepped up to a more expensive JDM pad next (like Endless/Winmax) but the other trak-life boys suggested I give Intima a try. There’s really not much known about this pad from Taiwan but in the quiet corners of the motorsport world people rate the SR variant quite well.

So on the most recent track day we co-organised, I went next level and got the Type D’s which are Intima’s race focused offering compared to the SR with a slightly different compound and temperature tolerance.

With no expectation there was no disappointment as the Type D’s took a hammering lap after lap after lap. Instead of wrapping up my session because of cooking brakes in previous trackdays, my Hankook Z221’s were the ones to blame as they now couldn’t outlast my brakes after 5+ laps.

I already had great stopping power previously and this remained unchanged with the Intima pads as ABS struggled for control when I was too keen with my right foot. Although I didn’t get to fully test the performance of my new pads (BMC and brake line woes), there’s nothing negative coming from me about the Intima Type D pads.

Priced at less than $200 for a flagship race pad that works fine on the street and knows how to hold its own in race mode, this is my default pad from now on.

Current Wakefield PB on the Type-D’s: 1:06.6 (03/05/2017)

Even my daily (wife’s) Lexus IS200 runs Intima SR pads, the braking confidence has vastly increased and the car honestly feels so much safer on the road. Definitely much better than the OEM and off the shelf stuff you find at your local auto store that’s for sure.

Phil – EP3 Type R

The car came equipped with Project Mu NS400 pads which are rubbish for anything performance oriented so they went straight into the bin. They’re fine for the street but if you have a performance car I don’t understand why you’d settle for a street pad that turns to mush after a few hard braking applications.

Having put the Type-D through it’s paces on the track I knew how well they performed but this time was interested in testing out how Intima’s crossover street and track pad handled in the same high pressure environment.

Equipped with the Intima SR pads front and rear (and stock front rotors), I brutally pushed the FWD on track.

As expected the bite off the bat is superb but also progressive enough pulling up the Honda with ease and not unbalancing the car.
I expected the braking to completely fall off after 3 hot laps but to my surprise they retained decent stopping power with some hints of fade.
I knew it was time to finish the session when the braking felt spongy where the rotors were mostly to blame not being able to cope with the heat of my constant “super late braking technique”!

Here’s my quickest lap from that day which was my first Wakefield visit in the Honda in Jan 2017, this lap was also about the 5th of that session:

All in all 1:11.5 isn’t a bad time considering stock suspension and stock rotors. What impressed me the most though (definitely wasn’t the power), was the stock handling and the stopping power provided by Intima SR brake pads, they truly held their own.
Having used Project Mu HC800/HC+ previously which cost significantly more than the Intima SR’s, I couldn’t tell the difference. Even when the former is rated at 800 degrees and Intima’s are rated at 600 degrees I felt the same level of fade as the laps increased. One thing to remember is the high temperature means nothing if the coefficient (force) is so low at such high temperatures resulting in minimal stopping power.
Next stop will be the Type-D’s but I’ll keep at it with the SR’s for now as there’s really no issue with them. Happily recommend them to any Honda’s out there still on the aqua/blue pad bandwagon and looking for a better value yet high performing alternative.

Another added bonus is the decent street manners too, minimal squealing because being in a Honda I don’t really need that attention

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/intima-brake-pads-review-sr-type-d/feed/0The Honda Civic Type R FK2 – Quick Spinhttp://www.trak-life.com/honda-civic-type-r-fk2-quick-spin/
http://www.trak-life.com/honda-civic-type-r-fk2-quick-spin/#respondThu, 30 Jun 2016 12:15:45 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5580Like Toyota and Subaru, Honda had been quiet for a lengthy period of time. Their last car to don the fabled Type R badge was the FD2 & FN2 Civic which ceased production in 2011. In the day and age where forced induction is now seen mainstream, many brand loyal devotees questioned Honda’s strategy as …

]]>Like Toyota and Subaru, Honda had been quiet for a lengthy period of time. Their last car to don the fabled Type R badge was the FD2 & FN2 Civic which ceased production in 2011. In the day and age where forced induction is now seen mainstream, many brand loyal devotees questioned Honda’s strategy as their underpowered naturally aspirated works of art got left behind.Behind the scenes though, something revolutionary was brewing at Honda HQ which kept the dream and VTEC memes alive. As with the FT86 & BRZ, the new Honda Civic FK2 Type R materialised itself into production and helped keep the wonderful world of performance cars well and truly alive.

Good things come to those who wait.

If you haven’t been hiding under a rock for the last year or so, you’d know that Honda announced that the new Type R will be turbocharged. Crazy I know and even blasphemy for some. We’ve seen what big bolt on turbos can do on high compression Honda motors so it only made sense for Honda to venture down this path again – the last time we saw a snail on a Honda from the factory was on the City Turbo in 1986.

Personally, I was excited to see what the hyped up turbo Type R had to offer, even if that just meant watching it on YouTube. Especially considering the FK2 wasn’t even confirmed for Australian shores, when would I ever get to see one in the flesh let alone drive one?Guess it was just my lucky day…

Originally intending to hire out the FD2 Type R for a day, I coincidentally stumbled on the FK2 upon booking which had only been made available a few days ago (Japan release was in Feb 2016). Call it fate, luck or just plain awesomeness, there was no way I was going to let this pass up.My itinerary transformed into mayhem as I frantically selected any available 3 hour slot for my rental. Forget seeing the rest of Japan! Ensuring I had bragging rights and the right to be smug when I returned home took priority over all else.

Having a poke around the new Civic Type R while we were inspecting for damage and finalising paperwork I was quite fumbled.It was nothing new since I’ve seen the car featured online and in publications, but on close inspection the car looked a little mismatched.The wide front fenders looked like it belonged in a J’s Racing or Amuse widebody catalogue and just didn’t flow with the rest of the smooth body. In a way it reminded me of an aggressive looking hatchback rally or hill climb car back in the day, but this isn’t a Pikes Peak Hill Climb kind of car.

Front wise it was all sharp and even hawk looking but otherwise tame. The LED lights were a decent touch to make it stand out from your normal VTi daily.

A nice rear end always scores highly in my books and on the Type R it’s not too shabby. Quad tailpipes poke out through the purposeful looking diffuser while the big wing adds more chunkiness, complementing the overall aggressive look.

Enough gawking though, how was it to drive?

My previous Fun2Drive article set a precedence so I don’t blame you if you’re looking forward to a concise but precise overview of this car. Truth be told though, you may be in for a disappointment. I don’t mean the car though, but the fact that I simply could not for the life of me find any good roads to test this beast on within my 3 hours of rental. The Chiba/Ibaraki region must have the flattest and most boring roads in Japan. I thought driving to Tsukuba Circuit might yield some entertaining corners but alas there was none (and no sign of the Best Motoring/Hot Version cast). By the time I got there and took some happy snaps and video it was already time to head back… Say whaaaaaaaaat?

Try as I might at every traffic light, endless slow traffic barely let me wind out 2nd and 3rd gear. On the rare occasion when I did get the chance to open her up though, it was a pleasant experience. There was minimal torque steer (thanks to the factory LSD and funky new suspension setup) and power kept climbing all the way to the 7K redline, very linear compared to what I was expecting.In contrast to a Golf GTi , Focus ST or Mazda 3 MPS where max torque is produced early in the rev range whereby the response is quite violent (and fun), the Type R steadily feeds power across the full 180degree revolution with no sign of the distinct VTEC bark.

The new K20C1: 228kW and 400nM worth of Earth Dreams power

Without the early violent shove it doesn’t actually feel that fast but looking at the speedo proves otherwise. If I had to pit this against my S15 Pearl with stock turbo on e85 with 223kW on a rolling start, I’d put my money on the Honda taking the victory but only just (Pearl with her GTX2867 is a different story though!).Handling wise, the FK2 has already proven its worth at the Green Hell. Crisp turn in, heavy solid front end and planted stance ensures it’ll be eating those corners all day long.

From my brief stint in the all new FK2, it did leave me with a good impression. Simply (or strangely) put, it was pleasant. This was a car I could imagine driving every day, it was just so easy to live with. Smooth shifting, light clutch, roomy cabin, space for five, functional cluster and not too stiff (the wife even fell asleep) – at times I almost felt like I was driving the base model Civic. Even when it was time to boogie and depress the “R” button, the car didn’t wildy go super saiyan. The impeccable smoothness remained whilst increasing responsiveness, power and ride firmness.

I really wish Honda would bring this thing here, the ADM could really do with a fresh JDM hero. Not just because it’s a great car straight out of the factory, but to keep the JDM car enthusiast culture alive (and to slow down the inevitable migration to Golf’s).The Evo and WRX have matured to sensible machines and the 86 is just the new lancer we’re used to seeing back in the day.And Nissan… Well Nissan doesn’t seem to want a piece of the affordable enthusiast pie anymore either so bring on the FK2 and power of dreams that is Honda.

You do have to wonder though… will the styling grow on you? It certainly did for me (if not visualise it in white).

]]>http://www.trak-life.com/honda-civic-type-r-fk2-quick-spin/feed/0Touge Attack with Fun2Drive Japanhttp://www.trak-life.com/touge-attack-fun2drive-japan/
http://www.trak-life.com/touge-attack-fun2drive-japan/#respondWed, 04 May 2016 12:10:35 +0000http://www.trak-life.com/?p=5360There we sat, the 7 of us nodding off intermittently on the Odakyu highway bus en route to our Hakone destination in Japan. Besides the gorgeous scenery and abundant onsens, this area is renowned for it’s iconic twisty roads as featured in Initial D and is also home of our destination Fun2drive. Before my very …

]]>There we sat, the 7 of us nodding off intermittently on the Odakyu highway bus en route to our Hakone destination in Japan. Besides the gorgeous scenery and abundant onsens, this area is renowned for it’s iconic twisty roads as featured in Initial D and is also home of our destination Fun2drive.

Before my very recent trip to Japan, I decided I wanted to get behind the wheel this time around instead of being the typical spectator. A tad skeptical that I’d actually find anything let alone in English, I was surprised to discover a little business called Fun2drive from my interweb searches.

Using the trusty Google Translator, I discovered they hired out sports cars to the public and amongst their fleet included the much desired NSX and R35 GTR. On top of that they also had suggested routes around the Hakone area which resembled a bunch of squiggly lines.

Enough said! My interest had now piqued and I fired off an enquiry email hoping for the best.

In the interest of tasting as many cars as possible within a day, I proposed hiring out 5 cars to our manly Japan crew which was met with unanimous approval. With international licenses complete, online forms filled out, deposits paid and our booking confirmed we were ready to tackle Japan’s touges in style!

After 2 hours on the bus and with the car park lot now in sight, the weary bunch of us were transformed into giggling little school girls.

Stoically braving the cold sat the FD RX7, S2000, NSX, R34 GTR & R35 GTR which we would commandeer for most of the day. There was also a Evo 6.5 TME but that wasn’t available for us doh!

Greeted by Yoshi, who patiently answered my 50 emails and organised our booking, everyone was eager to get driving.

Unfortunately for us the conditions were definitely not optimal. It was raining lightly and visibility was low with mist everywhere. Definitely didn’t dampen our spirits though! With the weather the way it was, we all knew to take it easy especially with the rear wheel driven cars. Yoshi could obviously feel our amazing driving auras so he proposed a 6 hour route which took us through some of the Initial D stages and also the infamous Mazda turnpike! (I’ve dreamt about driving this road ever since watching the Motörhead video). A thick stack of paper notes exchanged hands along with ink to paper and we were on our way!

My first car to start off the day was one I’ve always wanted because it ticked every box bar one, reliability (I’m sure I’m not alone here). Whichever angle you look at it, the Mazda RX7 FD is a gorgeous piece of work, I could stare at it all day, even if it was bright yellow!
Inside the cockpit was comfy enough although the centre console and shifter felt a tad high. The subtle “brap brap brap” could be heard thanks to an aftermarket exhaust.

For the first time driving a RX7 FD my base impressions were pretty good, the engine felt smooth while handling was nimble and responsive. Disappointedly though the weather hadn’t improved in the slightest so the roads were quite slippery resulting in a slow pace meaning I never got a chance to get a good feel for the car. On top of that the first run was quite short… Boo!

Gutter technique available on the first Nagao Touge (image: Google Maps)

Next up was something of a rarity here in oz, a factory manual Honda NSX NA1. For all 6 drivers on the day, this was the most anticipated car to drive and with good reason! This was Honda’s fabled supercar built to topple the European rivals back in the Japanese golden era. For a car made 25 years ago it hid its age extremely well, interior and exterior were schmick as!

I felt like I was part of something special sitting behind the wheel of this beauty. Everything just felt right, from the heavy solid throw of the shifter to the low riding seat position to the no nonsense cluster and cockpit it simply felt good – reminded me of how a car should be (dem feelz). This example had an exhaust whose sound I could only describe in one word: Manly. It was deep, throaty and refined. Blip the throttle and heads would turn. Open her up through to 8000 RPM and she simply roared – unique in comparison to all the four banger exhaust noises we’re used to hearing on the street.

The weather had not eased up and if anything had gotten worse by adding an unwelcome thick layer of fog. Visibility was down to an all time low as we steadily climbed up the mountain.

For the most of the drive, revs did not climb over 5000 RPM and corner speeds were very tame. This didn’t bother me too much considering I couldn’t control the weather and it was a joy just to drive the NSX. When I did have a chance to let it rev out though, the C30A mid ship V6 VTEC engine answered with smooth and linear power delivery to the redline. If you’re wondering about outright power, I can’t say I was amazed. I actually expected more from the fabled Honda unit but you could probably blame that on my turbo roots which expects exponential power surges, I couldn’t even get the wheels to spin!

The thing with the NSX is though, I never felt disappointed. This was a gentleman’s car refined for cruising and the occasional squirts and although I never had a chance to throw it around hairpin corners I’m sure it would have ate them up with no problems too. I could only imagine the fun factor steering one of these around Wakefield and SMSP.

Would I buy one? Hell yes. With power steering? Nah I like the post bicep pump. At $100K AUD though? Hmmm no thanks…

After stopping for a feed near the Mazda/Toyo Tires Turnpike rear entrance and watching all the WRXs, EVOs and RX7s pass by, we returned to our JDM fleet parked neatly outside. It was a beautiful sight to behold which I’m told could have been majestic if not for the dismal weather – on a clear day Mount Fuji would be clearly visible in the background (would make an awesome hardparked photo).

The steady rain had eased to a light sprinkle now with the fog clearing which I was thankful for as we were about to tackle the Mazda Turnpike. I only came to know about this revered stretch of road a few years ago when Motorhead released their Recaro feature on it (stunning video here). Whilst not exactly twisty, it has elevation changes, straight ways and sweeping corners to keep any earnest driver on his toes.
With the good VTEC vibes still coursing through my body, I was eager to jump into my next NA VTEC machine – the Honda S2000. Out of all cars that Fun2Drive hire out, this was the most modified. A bucket seat, roll cage and gauges made up the inside view while a hard top, widebody fenders and Alcon 6 pots brake calipers were evident on the outside. Not so obvious though was what was lurking underneath, a Motec tuned F20C with ITB’s; nuff said.

I’ve always had a soft spot for S2000’s and always wanted one as a second (track) car because quite simply, they’re just a lot a fun.

Jumping into this S2K I felt right at home, it was noisy, cramped and bumpy… just the way I like it. Intentionally the first behind Yoshi’s Liberty B4 for this route, the entourage rolled out.

It took a bit of getting used to leaving the revs around 5000 RPM as not only is this something I’d rarely do in my S15 but the engine and exhaust noise were close to deafening at that rev range. And when VTEC kicked in (yo), you definitely knew about it as the “BWAHHHHHH” bellowing out through the ITBs is the only thing you hear. The car itself felt great, it was well balanced overall in terms of braking, handling and power. Stabbing the throttle at high rev ranges and getting instant response was fun as was chasing Yoshi through the glorious downhill turnpike. Traffic at times did put a damper on the momentum but Yoshi always tried to make the best of it by giving them some room and then giving chase.

Jumping out of the S2000 at the end of my drive though, I actually felt a little let down. For a car I had set my sights on as potentially my second car I felt it simply needed more ooomph. Even with this tuned example, below 5500RPM it felt worse than T51R turbo lag on a 2 Litre and even once in the VTEC zone performance was just average. A good but tame overall package that comparably a Silvia could provide.

It needs to borrow torque from the NSX…

For the next driver change it was my turn to be passenger which meant choosing my chauffeur vehicle, was it even a question? I just couldn’t get enough of the V6 VTEC masterpiece. As we ventured to lower altitudes the heavens opened up and chasing grip soon became less of a worry – I even noticed everyone driving that tiny fraction harder. Just my luck, improved conditions when I wasn’t driving. Not to mention too that the Nanamagari Touge route was nothing short of amazing, this was indeed the real life Initial D hairpins as seen in the 5th stage battles; the NSX took the corners on like a champ (with the TCS light blinking frantically). All I could think about was hopping into my next drive with the same conditions and roads.

Think Intial D and think 15 hairpins like this in a row (image: Google Maps)

Why oh why does the drive seem so long when you’re a passenger?

From everyone I spoke to prior to this day, I came to the conclusion that a Nissan Skyline GTR R34 in stock form was a slow boat. This GTR only had a cat back exhaust so my expectations were set well and truly low. This was Godzilla though, and my achievable dream car! So despite my preconceptions I was still excited to give this all it had to offer on the touge… and boy was I surprised. This was no slug, the shove from the 2.6L six at low revs was more than plenty to get you going and it’ll keep barging on steadily till the tacho ends. Throw in the sweet inline six note on top of this and I was truly in a nice place… Almost as nice as the NSX.

The cockpit was pretty basic though which was expected #becauseNissan bar for the informative display screen. I didn’t even get much time to play around with it as I focused purely on pushing the GTR harder and harder around the Yugawara Parkway corners. This was actually one of the most memorable drives out of the whole tour for me as I really tested the BNR34’s worth through the great mix of uphill and downhill corners on this route. At first I was hesitant going WOT on corner exit but with the dry tarmac and ATTESSA 4WD system proving it knows how to find traction I was soon throwing the car into the corner and letting the car pull itself out mid corner… this was night and day difference from my RWD Nissan Silvia S15. I’ve never really taken an AWD hard around tight corners on touge roads back home (blame our crappy roads for that) but with this car there was no hesitation, it instilled confidence. Even with the surplus weight compared to its RWD rivals, the only time I felt it was under heavy braking and acceleration from a standstill.

The drive was engaging and I loved it, I was truly impressed – I want one… And I’m going to get one eventually. Now imagine one with HKS V-Cam, Borg Warner 8374…

You could say the best was saved til last, but from my previous drive of the R35 GTR in the U.S (link) I was full of mixed emotions. I love this car for too many reasons to list and it was a Nissan. Motoring documentary and friends pronounce how quick the R35 is in a straight line and around corners but my experience behind the wheel of one at Las Vegas Speedway nowhere near reflected any of that.

First thing I do when I have the chance is plant my foot to the floor and only one word comes to mind: Power. I don’t know what drugs the R35 Godzilla in the states was on but it needs to go to rehab because this is how a GTR is meant to feel like. Acceleration was just brutal. Every gear dialed out so quick that I was finger blasting the paddle shifters like an excited youngster, there was no stopping this unstoppable force. I know it’s no fair comparison going from 206kW to 357kW but the VR38DETT is an absolute monster, there is power everywhere. Handling wise compared to the R34, the difference going up a weight class in the R35 was more evident as the car felt big and bulky on braking and initial corner turn in.

Just like the R34, smashing the gas pedal mid corner brings no fear except in the R35 you can do it one handed… yep it’s that easy, point and shoot. It’s subtle but you can feel the electronics kick in and help lightly counter steer for you while clawing the 1800kg body out of a corner rocketing the car in the desired direction. The electronics really make it easy to drive quick.

After spending a bit of time keeping the 255/285 wide tyres at optimal temperature, I soon realised that this car was bit of a paradox. You see, there’s no denying the R35 is amazingly quick and being quick in itself is fun. But being quick in this car meant heavy electronic assistance which somewhat dulls the raw driving experience and takes away the engagement from the driver (call me old fashioned too but I also love the feeling of stick shifting). Now I can relate to why people say this car can be boring, and I agree to an extent. I’m all for the raw driving sensation but it also dawned on me that those electronics are there not just to maximise speed, but to do so while keeping your head firmly attached to our body. After all, we’re not all pro race drivers (well not yet anyway :P). Good job Nissan, good job!

Seeing that this was the final drive of the day, it would have made sense to use this as a cruising cooldown session – our good mate Yoshi had other ideas though, and so until the end of the Tsubaki Line route, the R35 Godzilla obliged to my every command breathing fire down the B4’s rear bumper and keeping my rear view mirror clear of any foes. A monster clearly deserving of it’s name.

I look forward to having this beast in my garage! (In white of course)

By the end of our Fun2Drive 6 hour tour we were all pretty spent, the touge demands all your energy and attention. But the smiles on our faces, you simply could not wipe them off… the memories of piloting our favourite JDM cars through some of the best roads will be imprinted in our memories forever. Because unless you’re a local in Japan, when else would you ever be able to experience such an amazing thing? And no, playing the Initial D arcade game doesn’t count.

I could only wish for such amazing roads back home in Sydney but I know alas that can never be. And so the reverse thought occurred, how would Pearl hold up on the Hakone Touge?

Writing this article and looking through all the photos brought back so many pleasant memories, I can quite honestly say it was one of the highlights of my Japan trip. Even now we all still talk about our favourite roads and cars like it was yesterday. A quick look on Carsales makes us appreciate the experience even more as these JDM heroes slowly get out of reach.

A big thanks goes to Yoshi and the rest of the Fun2Drive crew for their organisation and patience throughout our experience, they’re super friendly and catered to all of our needs. I hear they’re adding another NSX and a Subaru WRX STi 22B and who knows what else to their fleet so there may be a sequel to this article yet!

Thanks also to my boys Lee, Dylan, Jony, Sang, Sukree and Josh who were happy to tag along and be part of this awesome experience.